Polish Artur Hajzer coming down a slope - belayed by a safety rope during his rescue on Broad Peak. The rescue effort took three days. Image courtesy of Himountain.pl (Click to enlarge).
The team led by Piotr Pustelnik is not attempting Loretan's route (in red) as originally planned, instead they'll try the even longer Polish Kukuczka/Hajzer route, following the South Ridge (in blue). Topo courtesy of Artur Hajzer (click to enlarge).
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Artur Hajzer's comments on 2006 American/Polish Annapurna South Ridge climb
Posted: Mar 01, 2006 12:18 pm EST
(MountEverest.net) They helped him down from Broad Peak and now they'll follow his steps on Annapurna. A few days back, ExWeb reported how Piotr Pustelnik, Don Bowie and and a number of other climbers got involved in a three day long rescue on Broad Peak last year.
The injured was not just anybody: He was Polish Artur Hajzer - former climbing partner of the legendary Jerzy Kukuczka. Together the mountaineers nailed a number of new routes on the 8000ers, some in winter, before an old rope snapped on Jerzy ending perhaps the greatest Himalayan saga of all.
In the steps of Giants
Last year, Artur returned to Himalaya after a prolonged break, at the urging of his wife who told the Polish climber: “Artur you are getting old and fat. Go back to the mountains and come home a skinny boy."
When the news came early this week that some of his rescuers were returning to Himalaya for a great trilogy, Artur wrote to ExWeb, “Don and Piotr saved my life. I will never forget it.” With that, Artur offered details on the upcoming climb of Polish leader Piotr and American climber Don, who became friends on Artur's BP ordeal.
The climbers are now teaming up with Piotr Morawski and Peter Hamor to address some of Pustelnik’s unfinished business: Annapurna. They’ll climb the mountain from its scary East Ridge, following a line opened in 1988 by Artur himself.
Hajzer accomplished the ascent with Jerzy Kukuczka, and sent ExWeb a topo of the planned line. Check it out!
Piotr has 12 of the 14, 8000ers completed. Only Annapurna and Broad Peak remain on his quest to summit the world's tallest mountains. He has climbed Gasherbrum II twice (1990 and 1997), Nanga Parbat in 1992, Cho Oyu and Shisha Pangma Main in 1993, Dhaulagiri in 1994, Everest in 1995, K2 from the North in 1996, Gasherbrum I in 1997, Lhotse in 2000, Kangchenjunga in 2001, Makalu in 2002 and Manaslu in 2003.
Artur Hajzer climbed four 8000ers including new routes and winter climbs in the eighties.
Piotr Morawski achieved the first winter climb on Shisha Pangma on January 14, 2005. Also on the summit was Italian Simone Moro, who describes Morawski as one of the best Polish climbers today.
American Don Bowie attempted Broad Peak in 2005. He also volunteered to help people living in isolated mountain areas of Indian Kashmir who were severely affected after the October 8 earthquake.
The team is not attempting Loretan's route, as originally planned; instead they will be doing the Polish Kukuczka/Hajzer route.
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